1. Moving Toward Empire
In this lesson, students will be able to identify various factors which led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.
Students will be able to identify and/or define the following terms:
Punic Wars
Empire
Pax Romana
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2. successful conquerors.
The Romans were
successful conquerors.
They copied the battle
tactics of the Greeks
and Macedonians.
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3. Roman Conquerors
The Romans split their legions into smaller, highly mobile forces of 100 men called centuries.
The Romans were successful conquerors.
They allowed some conquered people to govern themselves while granting limited citizenship to others.
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4. The Romans also conscripted conquered soldiers into their legions.
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5. The Punic Wars
In 264 B.C., Rome came into conflict with another great Mediterranean power-the Phoenician city of Carthage in North Africa.
In three Punic Wars, Rome struggled with Carthage for control of the Western Mediterranean Sea.
Ultimately, Rome destroyed Carthage.
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6. During the second Punic War, the great Carthaginian general, Hannibal,
attacked Rome
from the North.
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7. Initially, Hannibal experienced military success. However,
he could not conquer
the Italian peninsula.
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8. Hannibal even
used elephants
in his military
campaign.
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9. A Total Defeat Ultimately, Rome destroyed Carthage.
The Roman army ruined the land of Carthage and sold its surviving people into slavery.
The Romans became kings of the Mediterranean Sea.
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10. increasingly powerful
As the Roman army
experienced greater
success, Roman
generals became
increasingly powerful
and popular. Generals,
like Julius Caesar,
wanted more power.
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11. The End of the Republic
As generals became increasingly powerful, Rome ceased to be a republic and became an empire.
An empire is a state that rules over different cultures.
Eventually, an emperor ruled Rome.
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12. Senators assassinated
Julius Caesar
threatened to seize
power and become a
dictator. However,
Senators assassinated
him in 44 B.C.
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13. Eventually, Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian, became the first Roman
emperor. He was called
Augustus Caesar and
his rule began a long
period of peace in the
Roman Empire known as
the Pax Romana or Roman
Peace.
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14. Questions for Reflection:
Why was the Roman army successful?
What were the Punic Wars?
How did Rome treat Carthage after its victory?
Who was Julius Caesar and what did he do?
Why did Rome become an empire?
Who was Augustus Caesar and what was the Pax Romana?
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